Light bulb base extractor



United States Patent [72] Inventor Anthony Cerasoli 46 Woodmont Road, West Hartford, Conn. 06117 [21] Appl. No. 753,691

[22] Filed Aug. 19, 1968 [45] Patented Dec. 22, 1970 [54] LIGHT BULB BASE EXTRACTOR 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl. 294/21 [51] Int. Cl. H0lk3/32 [50] Field ofSearch 294/20, 21; 81/3, 303, 72

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,319,028 10/1919 Grinnell 294/20 2,117,017 5/1938 Chadsey 2,497,633 2/1950 Shapiro Primary Examiner-Richard E. Aegerter Assistant ExaminerAlfred N. Goodman Attorney-Peter L. Costas PATENTED UEC22|97U z /y/r/ INVENTOR. ANTHONY Csmqsou A TTORNEY l LIeIrT BULB BASE ExTRAcToIt BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Frequently, the glass bulb portion of a conventional light bulb becomes broken while the bulb is securely mounted in an electrical socket, and when this occurs, the portions'which remain are generally inadequate to provide the necessary gripping surface to unscrew or otherwise effect removal thereof. Moreover, in many instances the fragments of glass which do remain on the base make the safe handling thereof impossible without protection of some sort.

Prior art devices have been furnished, which are designed to ream the glass out of the bulb base so as to make handling less dangerous, but the problem still remains, with such devices, that the gripping surfaces are insufficient if the bulb is securely mounted in the socket. Other prior art devices rely solely upon a frictional engagement with the sidewall of the base, and whereas certain of these devices. are relatively simple the security with which they engage the base is often not adequate to effect the removalthereof. More complex devices which are available may provide more secure engagement with the base,.but they tend to be relatively expensive and are often inconvenient to employ, particularly when space for manipulation is limited or when used from a distance, e.g., when a ceiling fixture is involved.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel tool for safely removing broken light bulb bases from their sockets and which is relatively simple and economical to manufacture.

Another object is to provide such a tool in which a dual effect may be relied upon to effect'the removal of the bulb base.

Still another object is to provide such a tool which may effectively be utilized at a distance considerably removed from the broken light bulb, or where space for manipulation is limited.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIG. 1 is a fragmentary'longitudinal view of a tool embody ing the present invention aligned beneath the remains of a broken light bulb mounted in an overhead fixture;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal view of the tool of FIG. 1 with the extractor member thereof engaged with the base of the broken bulb;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view to an enlarged scale of the tool of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2 drawn to an enlarged scale wherein there is shown the extractor member partially inserted into the bulb base and engaged with the base and filament support stern thereof;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2 and drawn to an enlarged scale; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of another embodiment of the tool of the present invention SUMMARY or THE INVENTION It has now been found that the foregoing and related objects can be readily attained in a tool which comprises an extractor member having an external cross section of maximum dimension at a point spaced from one end thereof. The extractor member tapers from that point to the end from which it is spaced, and the maximum external dimension and the external dimension at the end are, respectively, greater and lesser than the diameter at the entrance of the bulb. base with which the toolistobeused. I

Axially extending, spaced apart portions of the extractor member define an aperture ther'ebetween which opens at the tapered end, and the aperture is dimensioned to receive a filament support stern of the typ'e'whichhas a major cross-sectional dimension and a smaller minor cross-sectional dimension projecting axially-from the base. The aperture is wider than the minor dimension and narrower than the major dimension of the stern so that the stem may be axially seated in the aperture and engaged therein against relative rotation. Thus,

the extractor member may be partially inserted into the base with the stem thereof engaged against relative rotation, and with the sidewall of the base frictionally engaged on the tapered outside surface of the extractor member between the end and the spaced point of maximu'mdimension.

The extractor member may comprise a plurality of axially extending elongated fingers extending from a common base located at the end of the extractor member opposite from the tapered end. The fingers are preferably circumferentially equidistantly spaced on the base and each one has an axially outwardly extending knuckle spaced from the tapered end to provide the necessary maximum dimension external cross section. The fingers may be relatively rigid or radially resiliently deflectable and most desirably four fingers will be provided by the extractor member.

, Alternatively, the extractor member may comprise a generally solid element having an axially extending, elongated recess opening at the tapered end witha noncircular transverse cross section, preferably oval. In such an embodiment, the spaced apart portions are provided ,by opposite sidewalls defining the recess at a relatively small dimension of the transverse cross section. Most desirably, the toll will include a handle joined to the extractor member at the end thereof opposite the tapered end, and the handle and extractor member may be integrally formed as a single piece, such as by molding a synthetic resin.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION or T IE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT Turning now indetail to FIGS. 1-5 of the drawing, a tool embodying the present invention has anelongated handle 10 with a grip element 12 at one end and an extractor member, generally designated by the numeral 14, secured to the other end thereof. The extractor member 14 is integrally formed with four axially extending elongated fingers l6 spaced equidistantly about the common base element 17. The fingers 16 each have an axially extending knuckle 19 spaced from the free ends thereof providing a maximum external cross-sectional dimension which is larger than the diameter at the entrance 30 of the base 22 of the broken light bulb, generally designated by the numeral 18, with which the tool is to be employed The dimension b at the free ends of finger 16 is smaller than that diameter so that, as is best seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, the extractor member 14 may be inserted into the bulb base 22 so that the tapering outside surfaces 28 frictionally engage the sidewall of the base 22 at'the entrance 30 thereof.

The radial and circumferential spacing between the fingers 16 is sufficient to permit the relatively wide filament stem 24, projecting axially from the base 22, to be seated in the aperture 34 defined by the inside edges 32 of diametrically opposed fingers 16 (so designated in FIGS. 4 and 5 only for the thestem 24, the stem 24 can be seated in the aperture 34 so that rotation of the tool causes the inside edges 32 of the fingers 16 to bear upon and exert a twisting moment to the stem 24.

Operation of the tool illustrated in FIGS. 1-5 will be readily apparent. As is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the extractor member 14 is partiallyinserted into the base 22 of a broken light bulb mounted in an overhead fixture 20. The light bulb has a conventional right-hand threaded base 22 from which projects the relatively wide, elongated filament support stem 24; glass fragments 26 remain attached to the base 22 after the main portion of the glass bulb is broken away. In the manner described, the extractor member 14 frictionally engages the entrance 30 of the base 22 on the outside tapered surfaces 28 of the fingers 16, and seats the stem 24 in the aperture 34.

' Upon rotation of the tool in the counterclockwise direction the inside edges 32 of the fingers 16 bear upon oppositesides of the stem 24 to engage it against relative rotational move- .75 ment, whereby the engagement between the base 22 and filarum-any engagethe-sidewall of the fingers must be spaced merit stem and'the extractor member provides a du'al tr'eiigagement-by whichithe base 22'may readily be unscrewed from the'socket andextra'ct'ed'theriefrom.

"' G916 illustrates .an alternate embodiment of .des gnatedby the. numeral-40, has'anoctagonal exterior configurat'ionprovidingeight-edges 42", and an elongated axially :extending-recess; which'is ovalin transverse cross section.

' The opposite sidewalls 46 of the recess 44,-at a relatively small transverse cross se'ctionthereof, define, in longitudinal; cross secftionfan aperture having a dimension indicated by x 1 As inthe previousifigures;'the extractor member ,40 is em- A played"with'allightibulbbase having a" filament support stern with ar'najor dimension-and asm'aller minor dimension projec'ting therefromix' l'he recess 44 is" dimensioned to axially 9 redeivelthe stemof therlight bulb;- butthe-small dimension lxof 'the recessAQ tis-largerthan the'niinor dimension of the stem and'smalle r than the major dimension thereof; Thus, the stem ma'iy be;seated in the aperture provided byjthe recess andengaged against relative rotation; The large transversecross secnon of the member '40 at48 is larger than the diameterjof the 'eritranc e'otithebulbbase with-whichit'isto be used, and the small'crossj se'ction'there fatISOjis smaller-than that diameter,

soit hatuponaiinsertionof the 'small end the edges 42 fric- I base and cooperate to effect-theremova'l thereof. j W

e e' configuration of'the :extractormember' may .-vary'considerably {and is not restricted-t'o those of the illustrated emthisjfmay be acconiplishedlmost readily bytwo diametrically opposed. fingers between which the stem mayrbe diagonally" seated} Since a iniultiplicity 1 of fingers providing spacing therebetween to"receive :the filament support stem may facilitate operation-,such an arrangement is generally prefera- 'blel However, thespacing of the fingers should be adequate to allow .1 the support stem of g the bulb .to be inserted therebetween,; and thus a practieal limit upon the maximum numberof fingerswhich may-bepresentexists, if thestemis to bea'ceommodated -therebetween.-Fl irthennore, since the ex- I 1 tractor membermost effectivelyhas' fingers. in diametrically oppqsitepositiong an even number of fingers is usually found to b e best; ln -view of allof these considerations, 2 or 4-fingers williusuallybe employed'although it is to be understood that theinvention is-notsolimited.

apart a sufficient distance to allow the, filament support 'stemof thebulb. base to'fit therebetween, and this is true both as'regardsthe minimum cir'c'umferentiali spacing of adjacent fingers'and the ra dial spacing'ot diametrically opposed fingers. If the stem is considered to have" a major dimensionan'd a minor dimension relative thereto, the spaces must be-great enough to accomthe'minordimension. However, the space between the inr ierpedges of'at least 2 fingers must be less than the major dimensionjofthe stem so thatthe' fingers-can engage it'against relative rotation: Accordingly, the inner edges of the fingers define;irrlongitudinal erosslsection of the extractor member,

fat least on'eiapert'ure opening towardsithe tapered. endbf the I memberfwhich' is zwider than'the minor dimension and 'nars ""rower'thanthemajoridimension of theistem, and which is'nor-' mally gen'erally'll shaped. 'It will be appreciated that the sides orad seng fingers define voids'therebetween into which,the

' stemmay extend eradia lly, thus-accommodating the major dimension of the stem while it is seated'against relative rotamovement in the aperture; it will be clear that the radial depth of these spaces."

- theinv ention i in whicha gener'allyqsolid extractor member, "generally I voids is not what isreferred'to herein as the .ment having an axially extendingrecess therein', dimensioned The extractor member may-z be a irelatively solid eleand configured to'accommodate'the stem projecting from the -light-bulb such an embodiment, thetransverse crosssectional dimensions of the recessjwill correspond roughlyto .those "of. the. stern of the bulb-base forwhich the mm;

designed to be used. That is',-the recesswill have amajorrand minor, dimension sufiiciently larg'e to' allow insertionof the stern, butfthe minordimension of' the-recess mustbe smaller than the major dimension of the stemiso that thestern and tool may not-be rotated relative toifon'eanother'beyond a given .cross'section .will conveniently the aperture for seating v, "the bulb stem; but apolygonal recess capable of receiving the point. Ordinarily a-recess which isgenerallyoval in transverse stem axiallyand' engaging it-againstcrelative"rotation may be utiIizedJt'shouId be understood that'whenthe aperture is pro-. vided *by a recess, any two points on opposite sides of the walls 'defining the recess-may be considferedtp define the aperture long asthey -are separated byJa distance lesser than'the major cross-sectional dimension of'thelight bulb stem.

The outer crosssection of thezextractor member should be tapered softhat itmay be partially inserted into the bulb base. I

'andprovide anoutside surface for frictional'engagement with the base sidewall;Theret'ore, the extr'actor member will have,;.-. "'its maximumtransverse cross sec tion at'a pointspacedfrom the insertable end,'-f'and this pointunay be intermediate the-.1

- endsor at the opposite end thereof. lt should be understood thatfthe .surfaeegextending between the wide and narrow points'needfnotberectilinear,and that theterm tapered in- :cludescurvedsurfacesaswell. 1

"'The dime ions ofthe spaces p ro'viding theapertures in the extractormemb'ers andtheteross;se"'ctional dimensions determining thezconfiguration ofthe tapered outsidesurface cannot be :definedspe'eificallysince' they depend upon the size and z con figuration of'the'bulbs for whichthe tool is designed to be. ;used'.-J-lowever; to malte'thetool useful for as wide a variety of v lightbulbs as possible, the largest .dimensionsofthe outside of "the extractor memberrmay be considerablyglarger than the smallest-dimensions thereof, andfthe intemal spaces may be optimizedto en'gageably receive'aswide a range of stem sizes aspossible. Although the .tools o fthe present invention may advantageously be furnished 'in a' numberof different sizes since .the size of-lightbulbs varieslconsiderably, it is possible to adapt a single tool to a broad range ofbulb sizes. For example, I

temporary inserts may be provided.. to.decrease the size of the -recessin a 'generallysolidielement in order to adapt it for use withssmaller light bulbs or, when the'extractor member has a plurality of fingers, means maybe provided for adjusting the :span thereof and/or thespacing'therebetween. Other possibilitiesftha t will occurto those skilled in the art are also considered to bewithinthe scopeof'the present invention.

'i'lf' the extractorxmember is ccomp'rised of a plurality of fingers, they mayteitherberelativelyrigid orra'dially resiliently deflect'able. Therigidifingersgmay be inserted into the bulb with sufficienttv-forceto deformJthe-sidewall'thereof to create a slight but effective mechanical interlock f therebetweemandxthis effect maybe enhanced by providing 2 fingers are resiliently'deflectable,'theextractor member may bezinsert'ed well into .the base so-thatrcontact with the sidewall is established over alconsiderabledength of the. outside .surfacenather than at a single point-thereon. Such.resiliency may also beadvantageous from thestandpoi'nt of adapting 0110100] "or' defonnable ordefiectablepbut; the' latter type may be I toa'fairly 'broad'range of light bulb. sizes.

the outside edges o f the fingers'with sharpened surfaces. Ifthe The ,generally'solid type ofextractor members can be rigid preferred. Sincethe solidmernber will, generally provides continuous circumferentialxsurtface for engagement, the 'apl'plied'force willgenerallynotbe sufficient to cause deformation of the sidewalL'as can be done with narrow or sharpened fingers, i.e. the force is distributed over'a much greater surface area. However, the rigid member need not have a circular exterior configuration (e.g., it may be polygonal), or it may be fluted, serrated or otherwise modified to provide narrow or even sharp edges; frictional engagement may be greatly enhanced by such modifications.

The extractor member should have a handle secured to one end, and most desirably the handle is elongated for use with ceiling or other difficult to reach fixtures. The handle may be a very simple pole member or it may be quite complex, such as by including means by which it may be disengaged from the extractor member or by making it adjustable in length; a gripping element may also be furnished at the opposite end of the handle.

The tool and its component parts may be made of a wide variety of material, such as wood, metal, synthetic resin, rubber, etc., and combinations of such materials may be utilized. The handle may be made of wood or metal and joined to an extractor member or rubber or resin, the extractor member may itself have a body of one material with a second material providing the engagement surfaces thereof, or the entire device may be fabricated of a single material, such as a resin, rubber or metal. Use of a single material for the extractor member generally offers significant advantages in terms of economy and facility of manufacture since the number of operations involved can thereby be minimized. If, for example, a synthetic thermoplastic material is utilized, a commercially acceptable finished tool can be produced in a single operation, such as by injection or compression molding techniques. On the other hand, certain material e.g., wood) may be inherently less expensive, or may operate more effectively, and these factors should also be considered'in determining the particular material or combination thereof to be employed. It should also be borne in mind that it may be necessary to use the tool with a bulb base in a current-carrying circuit so that the material thereof should be capable of protecting the user against possible shock and of preventing short circuits. Accordingly, at least the contact surfaces of the extractor member should be of an insulating material or should be insulated from one another, and some insulation should be present to protect the user, e.g., in the handle or gripping element. Such problems are readily avoided by fabricating the entire tool of a convention synthetic resin or the extractor member of synthetic resin and the handle of wood.

Although use of the present tools for the removal of broken light bulbs having threaded bases has been stressed in the foregoing description, it should be appreciated that these devices may also be employed with the so-called bayonettype" of bases or any other type of base which is turned to remove it from its socket. it should also be understood that, although the tool is designed to take advantage of the dual effect of engagement with both the sidewall and the filament support stem of the light bulb, either of these effects may be relied upon independently in a. given instance, albeit with reduced effectiveness.

Accordingly, it can be seen that the present invention provides a novel tool for safely extracting broken light bulb bases from their sockets. The tool is relatively simple and economical to manufacture, and it provides a dual effect by which the bases may be readily removed. It may be effectively employed at a distance from the broken light bulb or where space for manipulation is limited.

I claim:

1. A tool for extracting a light bulb base from a socket comprising an extractor member having one end insertable into a light bulb base, said extractor member having an external cross section of maximum dimension at a point spaced from said one end, said maximum dimension being greater than the internal diameter at the entrance of the light bulb base with which said tool is to be employed, the external cross section of fingers being equidistantly s aced about said base with a void de med between the sides 0 each ad acent pair thereof, said fingers thereby defining an axially extending, substantially obstruction free aperture therewithin opening at said one end and dimensioned to permit insertion thereinto of a filament support stem which projects outwardly from the base and which has a .major cross-sectional dimension and a minor cross-sectional dimension less than the major dimension, said aperture being wider than the minor dimension and narrower than the major dimension so that the stem of the base may be axially seated in said aperture with the major dimension thereof extending into voids on opposite sides of said common base and engaged therein against relative rotation, said one end being partially insertable into the base so that it frictionally engages the base at the entrance thereof on said tapering outside surface. v 1

2. The tool of claim 1 wherein each of said fingers has an axially outwardly extending knuckle spaced from said one end providing said maximum dimension external cross section.

3. The tool of claim 2 wherein said fingers are relatively rigid.

4. The tool of claim 2 wherein said fingers are radially resiliently deflectable.

5. The tool of claim 2 wherein said plurality of fingers comprises four fingers.

6. A tool for extracting a light bulb base from a socket comprising an extractor member having one end insertable into a light bulb base, said extractor member having an external cross section of maximum dimension at a point spaced from said one end, said maximum dimension being greater than the internal diameter at the entrance of the light bulb base with which said tool is to be employed, the external cross section of said member tapering toward said one end to a dimension less than the entrance diameter of the base to provide a tapering outside surface, said member comprising a generally solid element having an axially extending, elongated recess in said one end with a noncircular transverse cross section, said recess opening at said one end being dimensioned to permit insertion thereinto of a filament support stern which projects outwardly from the base and which has a major cross-sectional dimension and a minor cross-sectional dimension less than the major dimension, said recess being wider than the minor dimension and narrower than the major dimension so that the stem of the base may be axially seated in said recess and engaged therein against relative rotation, said one end being partially inserta ble into the base so that it frictionally engages the base at the entrance thereof on said tapering'outside surface.

7. The tool of claim 6 wherein said extractor member has a polygonal external configuration providing edges for enhanced frictional engagement.

8. The tool of claim 6 wherein said transverse cross section is generally oval.

9. The tool of claim 1 wherein an elongated handle is secured to the other end of said extractor member.

10. The tool of claim 9 wherein said extractor member is integrally formed of a synthetic resin having good electrical insulating properties. 

